| Dave Dickerson |
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 | Position:
Assistant Coach
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| Alma Mater:
Maryland '90
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Dave Dickerson's six-year tenure as an assistant coach at his alma mater has coincided with six of the most successful years in the history of the program. In addition to his indispensable role during Maryland's first-ever national championship run in 2002 and the Terps' first outright regular-season ACC title since 1980, Terp teams have made six NCAA Tournament appearances and have been ranked among the nation's top 10 each season. During Dickerson's six-year career on the Terrapin bench, Maryland owns a 152-53 record (.741 winning percentage).
Following Maryland's first trip to the Final Four during the 2000-01 postseason, Dickerson was elevated on Gary Williams' staff to take the lead in the Terrapins' recruiting and scouting efforts. He has played an integral part in Maryland's recruiting efforts during his first six seasons at his alma mater, including four recruiting classes that were ranked among the nation's best.
Overall, Dickerson's 12-year coaching career has included 12 straight winning seasons and seven postseason appearances.
Dickerson joined Williams' staff prior to the 1996-97 season and immediately began to put his stamp on the program. During his first season, Maryland defeated three ranked teams and was ranked as high as No. 2 during the year. In 1997-98, the Terps advanced to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament and recorded 21 victories including wins over No. 1 North Carolina and No. 2 Kansas. A year later, Maryland won 28 games, 13 conference games and once again advanced to the NCAA's Sweet Sixteen.
The 2000-01 season's accomplishments and trip to the Final Four were only eclipsed by Maryland's national title in 2001-02 and winningest season in history at 32-4 and 15-1 in the ACC.
Top Recruiter
Dickerson's success as one of the nation's top recruiters has translated into success on the court. He has been instrumental in attracting the Terps' 1997 and 1998 recruiting classes, both of which were ranked in the top 10 nationally, and a group of newcomers for 2002 that has been ranked as high as fourth in the nation by Van Coleman's Future Stars Magazine. Maryland's 1998 recruiting class was ranked third in the nation by Clark Francis of HoopScoop Magazine, while the Terps' 1999 recruiting class contained three of the nation's top players at three different positions. Dickerson's most recent efforts helped Maryland to attract a 2002-03 incoming class of five top 100 recruits, including McDonald's All-American Travis Garrison, NJCAA first team All-American Jamar Smith and National High School Coaches Association player of the year Nik Caner-Medley.
Dickerson's scouting and recruiting abilities helped the Maryland coaching staff bring All-America guard Steve Francis, who was the No. 2 overall selection in the 1999 NBA Draft and finished fourth in ACC Player-of-the-Year voting, home to the Terrapins. The 2002 draft saw three Dickerson recruits – Chris Wilcox, Final Four Most Outstanding Player Juan Dixon and two-time NCAA Regional MVP Lonny Baxter – become selections in the first two rounds, marking only the second time in school history that three Terrapins have been drafted as high.
In all, Dickerson has recruited and coached two NBA lottery picks – Steve Francis (1999) and Chris Wilcox (2002) – and four overall first round selections in Keith Booth (1997), Francis, Wilcox and Juan Dixon (2002). It has been Dickerson's nationwide emergence on the recruiting trail that has allowed him to rise so quickly up the coaching ladder.
Prior to coming to Maryland, Dickerson was an assistant coach at Radford University. The recruiting classes he helped assemble at Radford were ranked among the nation's best. The 1994 season saw the Highlanders compile a 20-8 record and a school-record winning percentage of 71.4. Radford enjoyed the best four-year period in its history with winning records in each of the seasons that Dickerson was an assistant.
It was also at Radford that Dickerson began to make his mark as a bench coach. Radford gained national acclaim and became one of the most successful programs in the Big South Conference during Dickerson's tenure. Radford defeated Louisiana State, 73-72, on Dec. 30, 1993, to gain the biggest victory in school history. The Highlanders scored the game-winning basket with 2.8 seconds remaining in the game just after LSU had taken its first lead of the second half. Dickerson was the assistant coach in charge of scouting LSU.
From Athlete To Coach
Dickerson played forward at Maryland from 1986-89 and earned four varsity letters. He was co-captain as a senior in 1989. Dickerson saw action in the 1986 and 1988 NCAA Tournaments and was a member of three teams that advanced to the ACC Tournament semifinals. The Terps won 19 games his freshman year and 18 during his junior season. Dickerson was a starter on the 1989 team that became the first No. 8 seed to defeat a No. 1 seed in the ACC Tournament when the Terps knocked off NC State.
In 1990, Dickerson earned his bachelor's degree in government and politics from Maryland, and soon after he began his coaching career on the staff of Gardner Webb University in North Carolina. After a year at Gardner Webb he joined former Maryland head coach Lefty Driesell at James Madison for a 1992 season that culminated in a bid to the NIT.
From 1993-96, Dickerson was an assistant coach at Radford, where he began constructing his sparkling reputation under former Maryland assistant coach Ron Bradley.
A native of Olar, S.C., Dickerson earned the team award for Greatest Career Contribution in 1989 and for Most Improved Player in 1987. Dave is married to the former Laurette Newsom, a 1991 graduate of Maryland. The couple gave birth to their first child, Dave III, on Oct. 19, 2000.
Dickerson File
Coaching Experience
1990-91 Gardner Webb College, Assistant Coach
1991-92 James Madison University, Assistant Coach
1993-96 Radford University, Assistant Coach
1996-present University of Maryland, Assistant Coach
Assistant Coaching Positions
Year School Team Accomplishments
1990-91 Gardner Webb South Atlantic Conference Tournament Finals
1991-92 James Madison Colonial Athletic Association Tournament Finals • NIT First Round
1992-93 Radford Big South Tournament, Semifinals
1993-94 Radford Big South Tournament, Semifinals
1994-95 Radford Big South Tournament, Semifinals
1995-96 Radford Big South Tournament, Semifinals
1996-97 Maryland NCAA Southeast Region First Round
1997-98 Maryland NCAA West Region Semifinals
1998-99 Maryland NCAA South Region Semifinals
1999-00 Maryland NCAA Midwest Region Second Round
2000-01 Maryland NCAA Final Four, West Region Champions
2001-02 Maryland NCAA Champions
Playing Experience
1986-89, University of Maryland, basketball letterwinner
Playing Honors
Maryland team captain, 1989
Career Contribution Award, 1989
Most Improved Player Award, 1987
Personal
Education: University of Maryland, 1990, B.A. in government and politics
Date of Birth: March 29, 1967
Family: Wife Laurette, son Dave III
